Homecoming
by Joanne Lake Michigan
Summary: Anne ventures off into a world she has never known to woo the one who has captured her heart and set it free. What comes next is uncertain, but one thing is for sure - she will never regret baring her soul and putting her heart on the table. Enjoy!


**Summary: **Anne ventures off into a world she has never known to woo the one who has captured her heart and set it free. What comes next is uncertain, but one thing is for sure - she will never regret baring her soul and putting her heart on the table. Enjoy!

**Genre(s): **Romance

**Character(s): **Anne, Isabella

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Roommates

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**_*Homecoming*_**

Anne was sitting in the cabin of an airplane making its descent on Isabella's hometown in Mexico. She was staring out the window as the clouds dissipated, bringing land into view like a veil being lifted off an anxious bride. She laughed a little to herself at the thought, and fancied some more. She imagined the plane was a pirate ship of the air, and the clouds were like water.

"Land _ho!_" she says in a slightly higher than normal voice. Any louder and she was certain that she would be entirely pegged as a loon. Some passengers chuckle at her comment. She did not turn to see their expressions; her eyes were glued outside the window. She was looking at the beautiful land beneath her which reminded her of the fleetness as that of a film reel rolling. It could not flee fast enough, however, for the seconds seemed longer now that she was so close to her beloved.

The land seemed warm and welcoming. The sun was bright and shining and seemed to be smiling; its rays highlighting an abundance of nature which was considerably more than she had ever seen even sprouting from a podunk farm town in the States. She couldn't see it very distinctively yet, but the foliage on outskirts of the small airport looked different from back home. _This place looks like a paradise, and I haven't even landed yet,_ she thought to herself.

* * *

She walks down the stairs of the plane and heads towards the airport building. The wind blows fresh air gently across her body, her hair playing with the wind. It felt so relaxing. In it, there was a hint of flowers, fruit, ocean, sand, and all the oxygen from the trees. She had never smelled a place so fresh. "There's not much pollution here," she said to herself.

She was halfway from her plane to the building, and snapped out of the trance as she focused on the doors of her gate. She could make out the figure of a woman in a blue dress jumping up and down, swinging her arms wildly, trying to get someone's attention. "_ANNE!_" the woman yelled. "Oh-" Anne said stopping in her tracks, "Izzy!" She sprinted towards her as fast as she could, both embracing simultaneously upon contact. "I missed you so much," Anne squeezed her tight as if she would never let go.

"Annie, let me breathe." Isabelle said as she tickled her stomach to free herself from the bear hug, eliciting an unrestrained giggle. "Hey! Don't make me tickle you here!" she laughed and threatened. "Go ahead baby," Isabella said as she puffed up her chest, her dress tastefully accentuating her midriff. "_Hey,_ don't go blind staring too long, sweetie," she grins and laughs. Anne smiles knowingly and replies, "Izzy, you look like sexy business lady, not a teacher."

"Why, thank you hun, but you're changing the subject," and sticks her chest out again. "Same old Izzy," Anne says amused. "Speak for yourself toots," Isabella retorts. Anne chuckles while shaking her head.

* * *

The two weeks went by like the flash of light that envelops the eyes when opening the window shades in the morning. Isabella mentioned her favorite place during the beginning of the vacation, but Anne asked if they could save that site for the last day. "Whatever you want, hon. _Now,_ let me show you…."

She showed her as much as she could of her hometown. It was indeed a little paradise tucked in the corner of the world. Everything was so simple there compared to the hustle and bustle of everywhere else. It was as if time had no meaning there, time had stopped and all that remained was "now" forever. The people there were exceptionally hospitable. They were very generous yet had a great sense of privacy. They treated everyone like family and made sure to look out for one another. "I almost don't want to go back home," Anne says. "_Almost?_" Isabella replies. "You crazy, chica?" she gives a big smile and winks.

The last day had arrived, and as Isabella guided her to her favorite place in the whole world, Anne saw a butterfly delicately trace across the sky. It seemed carefree and happy, just like the people there. It's like they learned to listen to the heartbeat of the land and in return that heartbeat became theirs. The last time she felt like a butterfly was before she started grade school, when she was free to roam, explore, be creative, imagine, and everything was new and possible. Where doubt was unknown, fear was of monsters in fairy tales and things that go bump in the night, and pain was quickly followed by kisses, tickles, and laughter. She felt like she was remembering herself here, and coming here made her understand Isabella even more - who was as carefree and vibrant as that butterfly; however, delicate she was not, unless you got through to her heart.

Anne could tell the people of this village and every part of that place held a very special place in her darling's heart. And she was as strong as a tigress with a gaze just as intense - there was no doubt about that. She was fun, playful, and deep, but the depths of her were shown only when she chose to be vulnerable and expose her belly to the ones she love. She could have a fierce growl or a kitten's purr depending on the situation. This town was a special place much like Shangri-La and places of yore. It was overlooked by countrymen because its remoteness and slowness of pace...

Anne's thinking was like that - somewhat fast and all over the place; to her it was normal, but to others it was sometimes exhausting. _It's just a difference of opinion and brain waves; we're just at different frequencies and they are tuning in to a different station,_ she thought.

_"Here,_ isn't it beautiful?" Isabella said enthusiastically with a beaming grin. The sight reminded Anne a bit of the first spring break she spent with Isabella and the other roommates at the vacation house on the beach. "Yes, it is very beautiful here." Anne looked around in wonderment and knew she would never see another place like it, that it was one of a kind – as rare and unique as Isabella. "Not as beautiful as _me,_" Isabella chuckled and as she poked Anne in the ribs. "Hey, dagger hands! Watch it with those!" she giggles. They both erupt in laughter.

The sun was slowly lowering in the sky. In less than an hour it would be dusk. The sky was gradually transforming from sky blue to amber. Isabella held Anne's hand to lead her to her favorite spot on the beach. Anne cherished the touch in silence.

They passed a stretch of beach between some high rock outcroppings partly shaded by some tropical trees. _Wait, this looks familiar… but more beautiful,_ Anne thought. Isabella laid out a blanket then returned to Anne's side. "I used to play out here with my friends," Isabella said looking off into the distance. "I used to stare off into the ocean and pretend I was the captain of a pirate ship and this was my cove. And that my crew and I would go on adventures and travel the world," she said smiling.

She pries her eyes away from the horizon, comes back to the present moment staring intently at her, and says, "I've been writing you all those letters, it's about time you got here." She nudges.

Anne's gaze falters for a moment, then returns to meet hers. "I really need to talk to you, there is a lot I have to say," she looks deep into Isabella eyes. It was as if her sight was penetrating through her pupils and looking straight through to the depths of her soul. This did not perturb Isabella, however, who simply grinned and replied, "I'm all ears, hun."

Anne started, "I came here because I wanted to thank you and wanted you to know how much I care. I know we separated because our worlds seemed to be going in different directions, because they seemed two worlds and not one. In our letters, I never asked if you have moved on and found someone else, though I have never questioned our friendship, because I wanted to ask you in person.

I wanted to see your hometown and your family. I wanted to see the people and places you talked about as you reminisced when we were in college. I remember the tenderness in your eyes as you recalled those memories from the banks of your mind. I remember how you looked at me too, with such love in your eyes.

I'm not saying that it isn't there anymore. I'm saying I love you. I still do. I came here to see if you still do too, because I know you Izzy – you are a strong woman and good at keeping your emotions to yourself. That's why I am asking. If you don't open up, I'll never know. Just like you said in the kitchen on Valentine's Day, huh?" Isabella smiles in remembrance.

Anne continues, "I know we felt the love when we were together, the immensity of it, whose propulsion catapulted us through time, and those years in college together seemed as fleeting as a sparkler but as powerful as fireworks.

Isabella grins and says, "You know I'm gonna have a hard time upstaging this speech, eh? I'm no poet like you." She winks. Anne smiles in response and says, "I still love you Izzy. We may be worlds apart, but we're halves to a whole. We're different, but we learn from each other and complement each other. We are like two harmonic waves traveling in opposite directions creating equilibrium. I wanna spend the rest of my life with you if you'll have me, even if that means moving here."

"_What -_ no flowers? No getting down on one knee? No diamond?" Isabella says grinning widely while trying to suppress a chuckle. "Psychic, huh?" Anne replies as she holds her skirt with one hand and carefully takes a knee. She raises her arms around her neck to remove her necklace concealing a wedding band underneath her blouse. It was made of rose gold and had a simple but beautiful floral engraving across it. "As for the diamond, it's right in front of me," Anne smiled.

Isabella grins and says, "Skipping the engagement and going straight to the wedding, eh? She laughs really hard. Anne responds, "You're my diamond in the rough. Besides, you know you like a person who knows what they want."

Isabella's laughter subsides and she replies, "You're right. You're right about all of it. And I love how you always saw past the surface. Yeah, I know I'm rough around the edges and I like to bite, ha - but you saw inside of me. I'm more than this _hot_ body, if I do say so myself." She grins then continues, "You see my intelligence and my talent even though it is different from yours, but you love it anyway. And I talk differently, walk differently, _am_ differently, but you love me anyway. And that's what makes the world go 'round, right?"

Anne tenderly stares Izzy, then replies "Izzy, you gonna take the ring? My knee is _cramping_!" She starts to laugh. Isabella responds, "_Ha!_ My talk was a commercial compared to your _movie!_" She pinches Anne and takes the ring. Anne then stands up, puts her arms around Isabella's shoulders, looks her deep in the eyes, and says "You and me doll, we'll blow this mug's game, find a nice place."

Isabella laughs hard and says in a seductive tone "I think you'll like me when I'm grateful." She smirks, lifts her hand to Anne's cheek, and leans in and kisses her. They lose themselves in each other's kiss, and time stops around them...

They take a moment to watch the sunset together. The white orb sinks into the horizon; the sky continuing its metamorphosis from amber to the softest pink, inviting in mauve and lavender. The butterfly breaks their view. "_Ha ha,_ Mr. Butterfly," Anne says fondly. Isabella smiles acceptingly.

Anne tenderly yet intently gazes upon her beloved and says, "With you, I feel like I am home. This feels like it's home. This all feels… right," she pauses, "I'll come back for you." "I know," Isabella responds affectionately, her languid eyes intoxicated with happiness. Isabella leans in towards her ear, inhales a bit, and whispers ever so gently it tickles. "I'm holding your strawberry shampoo hostage." Anne looks at her dumbstruck and they both laugh hysterically.

**~Fin~**

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**Author's Commentary: **You will only understand the nuances of this game if you successfully play the Anne x Isabella path in the Roommates game by Winterwolves – an independent game company by Celso Riva. You can play the demo for free, buy packages for a discount, or sign up for the newsletter to see when seasonal discounts arise. I hope you enjoyed the story. Constructive criticism is welcome and fan feedback as well. This is my first fanfiction. To be more specific, this is the first story I have ever written. I have more experience in poetry and songs, so I admit I have a lot to learn. Please keep that in mind when evaluating me. I appreciate your support. Live your dreams! Good day ;)


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